The present invention relates generally to systems for generating electrical energy and, more specifically, to generating systems used on bicycles and motorcycles.
At the present state of the art generators are external devices subject to environmental conditions such as rain, snow, hail, salt spray, etc. In typical bicycle applications generators are placed close to the rim of the front bicycle wheel and a friction drive is used which contacts the rotating rim and supplies rotational energy to the generator. This external generator is often bolted to the bicycle fork with steel bands and normal usage frequently bends these bands out of alignment. External generators are also subject to vandalism and theft. Typical patents which suffer with these problems and are not as suitable for the purpose intended as the instant invention are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,021,690; 4,346,777; and 4,061,200.
Recent attempts to integrate the generator to the bicycle axle have proved ineffective and do not serve the purpose of the present invention.